The present invention relates generally to sporting goods and recreational products and more particularly to a bodyboard for use in supporting a rider during travel in ocean surf.
As is well-known in the art, bodyboards are flotation devices somewhat similar to surfboards, the major differences being that bodyboards are shorter in length, lighter in construction, and are generally more flexible. Bodyboards are commonly formed from elongate, semi-rigid foam planks, the finished board including a top riding surface and a bottom planing surface. The bottom surface of the board is usually slick, enhancing bodyboard planing during travel in the surf.
Bodyboard enthusiasts most often ride their boards in a prone position, one arm extending forwardly to grip the nose end of the board and the other arm extending along the rider's side to grip a side edge of the board. Control of the board is exercised by pushing or pulling against its front and side edges, bending or twisting the board to effect turning action. The rider's legs, which most often trail the board, may also aid in bodyboard steering and maneuvering.
In order to gain leverage, riders often raise their bodies somewhat off the surface of the board by propping themselves up on the elbow of their forwardly-extending arm. When in such a position, a rider's elbow may be used as a fulcrum, allowing the rider to bend or twist the board about such elbow, and consequently to direct travel across the surf. Where additional challenge is desired, more experienced riders may desire to kneel or stand on the board, adding an additional dynamic element to bodyboard control.
Bodyboarding is a very fast-paced and exhilarating sport, which has evolved to include competitions where tricks and maneuvers requiring a high degree of coordination and aggressiveness are attempted. Tricks such as the "EL Rollo," the "Drop Me Off," and the "Belly 360" are among these maneuvers, each requiring daring and precise turns. Not surprisingly, these tricks mandate that the rider have complete control over the board, and consequently that the rider maintain close association with the board. To exercise control, the rider must thus be able to grip the board securely. This may be difficult, however, due to the speeds involved, the trajectory of a planing board, and the water which usually covers the board during its use.
As a result of the above-cited factors, riders of conventional boards have tended to plane off the surface of the board, prematurely ending the ride. Bodyboards have thus been provided which attempt to improve board grippability, such boards having blunt nose ends intended to provide riders with a handhold which may be comfortably gripped with the hand of a forwardly extending arm. Using the rider's other hand, the rider may similarly grip the board along a side edge, pulling the side of the board upwardly to effect further control over the board.
Despite the above-described provisions, conventional bodyboards are still characterized by unwanted shift of the rider, such shift commonly being evident in the relationship between the board and the rider's hands and arms. For example, because conventional bodyboards are generally flat, a rider's hands may easily slip off the nose end or the side edge of the board, resulting in an aborted or out-of-control ride. Similarly, the elbow of the rider's forwardly-extending arm, about which the board is pivoted to effect sharp turns, may slide off the board's riding surface, again leading to a loss of board control. Undesirable shift of the rider's torso is yet another common problem, such shift further impeding enjoyment of the bodyboarding experience. In any case, for a rider to perform long, drawn-out turns, short "snappy" turns, or the wide variety of tricks in competitions, the board must provide for stable purchase of the rider during its use. Such purchase is unavailable in conventional bodyboards. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bodyboard which improves purchase of the rider.
In order to address the above-discussed problems, bodyboards have been developed which include side edges of improved shape, providing a more secure rider handhold. Such bodyboards, as for example those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,894,034 and 5,116,269, attempt to address the problem of rider shift by providing a lip along each of the board's side edges, such lips extending from the board's nose to position near the rear of the board. These lips, however, do little to impede forward shift of the rider's torso or to impede shift of the rider's elbows or knees which generally engage the top surface of the board. Consequently, when the rider passes through a wave, the rider's orientation relative the board may change, substantially, detrimentally effecting the rider's control. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bodyboard with a riding surface which enhances purchase of the rider.
Additionally, although bodyboards having lips along the side edges thereof are effective in providing the rider with an area to comfortably grip, such lips do little to impede forward shift of the rider's hand along the board's side edge. Such forward shifting effects the rider's ability to pull up on the board and thus impairs the rider's ability to effect control. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bodyboard which affords improved gripping of the board in a manner impeding forward shift of the rider's hands.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved bodyboard for use in supporting a rider during travel in the ocean surf. The bodyboard includes an elongate, substantially planar board having a top riding surface on which the rider is mounted, and a slick, bottom planing surface which glides across the surface of the water. The board is perimetrically defined by a forward nose end, a rear tail end, and a pair of elongate, laterally-opposed side edges.
As a principle feature of the invention, the top riding surface of the board is provided with a purchase-enhancing region adapted to aid in purchase of the rider. The purchase-enhancing region is divided into forward and rear expenses, the forward expanse including ridges which impede forward shift of the rider. The ridges extend diagonally across the region to oppose both forward and lateral shift of the rider.
In order to further impede rider shift, the top riding surface is provided with a torso-supporting region which is suited to allow transverse shifting of the rider's torso while impeding forward shift of the same. A forward grip region is also provided, the grip region having a lip which extends adjacent the nose end of the board to improve the rider's forward grip and thus to further impede rider shift.